Christmas tree holder



Oct. 16, 1962 H. G. LEGO CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Filed Aug. 8, 1960 United States Patent 3,058,707 CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Hal Glen Lego, RR. 1, Constantine, Mich. Filed Aug. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 48,200 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-46) This invention relates to improvements in holders adapted for holding Christmas trees and the like. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a holder for Christmas trees and the like that supports the weight of the supported object directly from the floor and laterally braces the supported member by automatically applied spring pressure.

Second, to provide a holder that supports the supported member by spring pressure and which is collapsible to a small package when not in use.

Third, to provide a holder which will laterally support the supported member at diiferent adjusted positions along its length and permit adjustment of the height thereof.

Fourth, to provide a holder which will engage and laterally support the trunk of a tree above the lowermost branches thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate a high practical form of the holder.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the holder in erected position with the trunk of a tree indicated therein in cross section.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in section, of the holder with the trunk of a tree supported therein.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 33 in FIG. 1.

The holder consists of an upper cylindrical collarlike support member 1 of substantially greater diameter than the largest member to be supported and a lower cup base member 2 adapted to receive and support the lower end 3 of the supported member 4. In the embodiment illustrated the tripod legs 5 are connected at angularly spaced points around the support member 1 by means of the brackets 6 and pivot pins 7. The angularly adjustable brace bars 8 are pivotally connected to intermediate portions of the legs 5 and extend to other brackets 9 welded to the sides of the base member 2. The brace bars are pivoted to the brackets 9 at 19.

At angularly spaced positions between the brackets 6 the upper support member 1 is provided with internal brackets 10 near its bottom (see FIG. 3) which support the pivot pins 11. The pins 11 are welded or otherwise secured to the lower ends of inwardly bowed gripper members 12 which project upwardly above the top of the collar. The gripper members 12 carry radially outwardly projecting pins or bolts 13 which extend slidably through the slots in the support member 1 and form supports for springs 14. Nuts 15 on the bolts limit the distance to which the springs can force the grippers inwardly.

In collapsed position of the holder the legs 5 swing inwardly and the inner ends of the brace bars 8 swing downwardly with the cup 2. When erected the legs 5 are swung outwardly as illustrated in FIG. 2. The base member 2 may rest on the floor or, if it is desired to raise the tree or other supported object, an object such as the book 16 can be placed on the floor under the cup. The trunk 4 is then thrust through the grippers 12, compressing the springs 14 to laterally support the trunk. The flared shape of the grippers permits easy insertion of the trunk.

In order to support lower branches of the tree slots 17 are formed in the upper edge of the support member 1 "ice so that selected lower branches can be engaged therein. Thus the grippers 12 actually engage and support the trunk above the lowermost branches and the lower branches act to partially conceal the holder.

The spring pressed grippers engage and support the tree trunk automatically without adjusting hand screws or clamps. Further, the spacing of the grippers adjusts automatically to the size of the trunk. The larger the trunk, the wider the spacing of the grippers and the greater the pressure of the springs. Thus a large heavy tree receives the necessary greater lateral supporting force.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A holder of the class described comprising a tubular upper support member having angularly spaced upwardly opening slots in its upper edge, tripod legs pivot ally connected to the outside of said upper support member between said slots, brace bars pivotally connected to said legs intermediate of the ends of the legs and extending in converging relation inwardly therefrom, a cupped lower support member pivotally connected to the inner ends of said brace bars at angularly spaced points around the cup, horizontal pivots mounted at angularly spaced positions around the lower end of said upper support member, longitudinally curved gripper bars positioned in inwardly convex opposed relation within said upper support member and each having its lower end connected to one of said horizontal pivots for swinging motion in an upright radial plane of said upper support member, guide pins projecting outwardly from said grippers and slidably through said upper support member and having stops on their outer ends engageable with said upper support member, and springs around said pins urging said grippers inwardly towards each other.

2. A holder of the class described comprising an upper tubular holder member, tripod legs pivotally connected to the outside of said upper support member, brace bars pivotally connected to said legs intermediate of the ends of the legs and extending in converging relation inwardly therefrom, a lower support member pivotally connected to the inner ends of said brace bars at angularly spaced points, horizontal pivots mounted at angularly spaced positions around the lower end of said upper support member, longitudinally curved gripper bars positioned in inwardly convex opposed relation within said upper support member and each having its lower end connected to one of said horizontal pivots for swinging motion in an upright radial plane of said upper support member, guide pins projecting outwardly from said grippers and slidably through said upper support member and having stops on their outer ends engageable therewith, and springs around said pins urging said grippers inwardly towards each other.

3. A holder of the class described comprising an upwardly facing cupped lower support member, an annular open ended upper support member of a diameter substantially exceeding that of the lower support member disposed in vertically spaced supported and aligned relation to said lower support member, a plurality of inwardly bowed angularly spaced gripper members disposed within and pivotally mounted at their lower ends on said upper support member with their upper ends projecting upwardly from and in outwardly curved relation thereto, spring supports mounted on said gripper members in vertically spaced relation to their lower ends and projecting outwardly therefrom, said upper support member having vertical slots therein through which said spring supports project, and springs arranged on said spring supports in thrust supported relation with said upper support member and acting to yieldingly urge said gripper members inwardly, said spring supports being provided with stops having threaded engagement therewith and disposed on the outer side of said upper holder member.

4. A holder of the class described comprising an upwardly facing cupped lower support member, an annular open ended upper support member of a diameter substantially exceeding that of the lower support member disposed in vertically spaced supported and aligned relation to said lower support member, a plurality of inwardly bowed angularly spaced gripper members disposed within and pivotally mounted at their lower ends on said upper support member with their upper ends projecting upwardly from and in outwardly curved relation thereto, spring supports mounted on said gripper members in vertically spaced relation to their lower ends and projecting outwardly therefrom, and springs arranged on said spring supports in thrust supported relation with said upper support member and acting to yieldingly urge said gripper members inwardly.

5. A holder of the class described comprising an upwardly facing lower support member, an upper support member disposed in vertically spaced aligned and supported relation to said lower support member, a plurality of inwardly bowed angularly spaced gripper members disposed within and pivotally mounted at their lower ends on said upper support member with their upper ends projecting upwardly and outwardly, spring supports mounted on said gripper members in vertically spaced relation to their pivoted ends and projecting outwardly through said upper support member, and springs arranged on said spring supports in supported engagement with said upper support member and acting to yieldingly urge said gripper members inwardly, said spring supports being provided with adjustable stops on the outer side of said upper holder member.

6. A holder of the class described comprising an up wardly facing lower support member, an upper support member disposed in vertically spaced aligned and supported relation to said lower support member, a plurality of inwardly bowed angularly spaced gripper members disposed within and pivotally mounted at their lower ends on said upper support member with their upper ends projecting upwardly and outwardly, spring supports mounted on said gripper members in vertically spaced relation to their pivoted ends and projecting outwardly through said upper support member, and springs arranged on said spring supports in supported engagement with said upper support member and acting to yieldingly urge said gripper members inwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 187,542 Cosentino Mar. 29, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 135,848 Austria Dec. 11, 1933 163,929 Sweden July 8, 1958 382,254 Germany Oct. 1, 1923 743,053 Germany Dec. 17, 1943 

